• Friday: A festival reception will be held at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute- Sculpture Court beginning at 4:30 p.m. At 6 p.m., Kristin Beck, a retired United States Navy SEAL, will talk in the MWPAI Auditorium. Beck gained public attention in 2013 when she came out as a trans woman, the first openly transgender former U.S. Navy SEAL. Beck served for 20 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs before the transition and took part in 13 total deployments, including seven combat missions.

Beck was a member of the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group, a special counter-terrorism unit popularly called SEAL Team Six - the same team that raided Osama bin Laden’s compound just months after her retirement. She has received multiple military awards and decorations, including a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. Following the presentation, the film “Lady Valor: The Kristin Beck Story” will be shown in the MWPAI Auditorium.

Tickets are $50 for the reception, which includes hors d'oeuvres and beer/wine/soda, as well as admittance to the presentation by Kristin Beck and feature film. Visit www.mvrcr.org/events to register.

It's important that residents be part of the festival because it provides an opportunity to reinforce our commitment to those who need us most. Our nation has embraced immigrants since its founding nearly two-and-a-half centuries ago. Most of us have ancestors who came here for the very reasons others come today - to escape political, ethnic, racial and religious persecution and to find hope for future generations. It is nothing less today.

Utica is the perfect stage for this event. Whether it be the Italians and Poles of a century ago or today's newcomers from Belarus and Burma, our steadfast reputation for reaching out to immigrants and providing sanctuary to many of the world's most oppressed people is a badge of honor recognized throughout the international community. We should all be proud.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.